Peach turner



J. ALBERTOLI PEACH TURNER June 14, 1938.

Filed Oct, 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR JOHN ALBEETOLI.

HIS ATTORNEY June 14, 1938. J ALBERTOL] 2,120,385

PEACH TURNER Filed Oct. 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 87 Fig.3 a o 6 7 28 7/ 4 67 I Z/ 72 I 236 I i a if INVENYTOR it 5 JOHN AL serou. Mme? HA5 ATTORNEY Patented June 14, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

My invention relates to a machine for operating on peaches preparatory to canning them.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of improved means for orienting peeled half-peaches; and another object is the provision of improved means for selecting the peeled half peaches and presenting them to an operating mechanism, such as a cutting means, in the required position.

My invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of my invention. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to this disclosure of species of my invention, since I may adopt variant embodiments thereof within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my peach turner 20 in association with a slicer; and

Figure 2 is an elevation partly in vertical section. The plane of section is indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1; the lower portions of the frame are omitted to save space; and pulleys 25 and belts are shown in full elevation without section for. the sake of clarity in the drawings.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section, the plane of section being indicated by the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail, partly in section. The direction in which the view is taken is shown by the arrow 8 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail in end elevation and partly in vertical section, showing the adjusting means for the cutting blades. The plane in which the view is taken is indicated by the line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a detail partly in vertical section, showing the inner supporting pulleys for the turning belts. The plane of section is indicated by the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figures 7 to 11 inclusive are vertical sectional views through the turning belts at successive points in their travel. The planes of sections are indicated by the lines 1-1, 8-8, 9-9, Iii-l0 and lI-ll of Figure 1. In each figure a half-peach supported on its flat side is shown.

Figures 12 to 16 inclusive are views similar to Figures 7 to 11 inclusive; and are taken in the same planes respectively. In the latter figures however, the half-peach is shown supported on its rounded side.

In terms of broad inclusion, my peach turner and slicer comprises a supporting frame, on one end of which is a receiving tray upon which the peeled half-peaches are dumped. Disposed adjacent the tray is an endless belt, the upper reach of which extends into the tray so that pieces of the fruit will fallon it.

At the other end from the tray the belt runs over an idler so positioned that the upper reach I of the belt twists up to form one side of a V shaped trough; the opposite side being similarly formed by the lower reach of a second endless belt arranged above the first.

The other end of the upper belt is disposed opposite the edge of the tray and the adjacent reaches of the two belts at this point are substantially horizontal, and spaced so as to enclose half-peaches caught from the tray on the lower belt and carried between the two belts. Irrespective of whether the half-peaches rest on the flat or rounded sides, they emerge from the turning belts to slide on their fiat sides to a conveyor which carries them flat side down to the slicing mechanism.

The slicing device comprises thin disk blades arranged radially about a point on the upper surface of the conveyor. Each disk is mounted on a short arbor or stub shaft which is journalled in an adjustable supporting bar fixed on the frame. The arbors are preferably connected in groups of three by universal joints, the lower arbor in each group being connected through a shaft and suitable gearing to a jack shaft driven from any suitable source of power, to which is also operatively connected the conveyor belt and the turning belts. Means are provided for the needed adjustments, and also for centering the half-peaches under the cutting blades.

In terms of greater detail the present embodiment of my invention comprises a supporting frame 2|, on one end of which is secured a tray 22, upon which peeled half-peaches may be dumped from any source of supply by a power driven conveyor or by hand trays. Of course the semi-spherical peaches will lie in all possible positions on the tray, coming to rest on their flat sides or round sides as they may fall.

Extending into the tray and approximately in alignment therewith is the upper reach of an endless belt 23, which is carried on the pulleys 24 and 26. The pulley 2| is fixed on a horizontal shaft 21 suitably journaled on the under side ofthe tray; but the pulley 26 is journalled on a short stud 28, Figure 6, fixed on a bracket 29, mounted on a cross bar 3|, extending between the frame sides 32. The stud is disposed at an angle to the horizontal, so that the upper reach of the belt 23 twists from its horizontal 55 position on pulley 24 to an angle of about 45 on pulley 26 to form one side of a V trough.

The other side of the V trough is formed by the lower reach of the endless belt 66, carried on pulleys 64 and 66. This belt is considerably shorter than the belt 26, the pulley 64 being fixed on the horizontal shaft 61, Journalled above the inner end of the tray in suitable bearings fixed on the frame sides 62. The pulley 66 is mounted as shown in Figure 6 in the same fashion as its twin 26, but its axis lying at about 90 to the axis of the pulley 26, so that the inner or lower reach of the belt 66 makes with the inner or upper reach of the belt 26 a wide angle V trough on and adjacent to the angularly set pulleys.

Guide rollers 66 and 66 suitably jouralled on the frame, may be utilized to keep the belts in the desired position if needed; and these guide means will be found useful when a vertical plane through the pulley 24 and perpendicular to its axis evenly divides the angle between the axes of the two pulleys 26 and 66. By ignoring the symmetrical arrangement shown, the pulleys 24 and 26, and the pulleys 64 and 66 may be set respectively with technically accurate alignment, appearing substantially as they are shown in Figure 1, but without any need for guide rollers 36 and 69.

Slight technical misalignment and the use of the guide rollers which may be flanged if desired, is preferable for the sake of symmetry in the belts; and since the belts are narrow and flexible and the load is light it is not objectionable.

Means are provided for driving the turning belts. Journalled transversely across the frame 2| is a shaft 4| connected by a chain 42, and sprockets 43 and 44 with the motor 46, conveniently hung from the plate 41 extending across the under side of the frame. Also journalled across the frame 2| is a second shaft 46 connected to shaft 4| by a chain 46 running over suitable sprockets 6| and 62. Fixed on the shaft 46 is a sprocket 66, connected by chain 64 with sprocket 56 on shaft 61, and sprocket 61 on shaft 21. In order to drive shaft 61 in the right direction, it is necessary to pass the chain first over the idler sprocket 66, which is journalled on one of the side frames 62, as shown in Figure 2, immediately above the shaft 61.

With the above described apparatus in mind, it will be readily understood that half-peaches from the tray will find their way to or be pushed by an attendant upon the belt 26, the guides 66 centering the pieces squarely upon the belt asthey approach the inner or lower reach of the belt 66. At this point, the piece P lying between the belts appears as in Figure 7, if it happens to lie on its fiat side; or as in Figure 12 if it happens to lie on its round side.

Carried along between the turning belts, successive positions of the turning half-peach P are shown in Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11, or in Figures 13, 14, and 16, as the case may be. If the piece at the beginning enters between the belts, as shown in Figure 7, resting on its fiat side, the center of gravity, C. G. of the piece tends to keep it lying against the lower belt; and it emerges from the turning belts as shown in Figure 11. If however, the piece enters the belts resting on its round side, as in Figure 12, it tends to roll over as the belts begin to twist and" the angle between them widens, the center of gravity being increasingly to one side of the point of support,

until finally it emerges flat side down as shown in Figure 16.

In either case the piece is delivered fiat side down ,upon a short slide 6| whence it slides to the fiat feed or conveyor belt 62 which carries it to the slicing blades.

The belt 62 is carried on pulleys 66 and 64,

the former fixed on shaft 46 and underlying the a delivery ends of the turning belts, and the latter.

on shaft 66 suitably Journalled at the end of the main frame. Of course rotation of the shaft 46 drives this belt. Rails 61 are provided on each side of the belt 62 to guard the half-peaches thereon; and a centering device 66 preferably in the form of a hood, having converging sides and supported above the belt, functions to shift all pieces passing therethrough into the center of the belt. v Cutting means are provided to slice the half peach into pieces. Preferably such cutting means comprises thin, sharp edged, circular disks or blades 66 disposed as shown in Figure 3, radially about a point on the center of the feed belt 62, so that the half-peach is divided into segments as it is carried under the blades. Preferably the peripheral speed of the blades is faster than the lineal speed of the belt, so that the cutting blades tend to throw the cut pieces clear of the blades and allow them tofall over the end of the feed belt into a suitable receptacle.

. Each cutting blade is fixed for rotation with a separately journalled shaft, andpreferably half of the group of blades are driven from one side, and half from the other. Joumalled in a suitable bearing bracket 1| is a shaft 12, rotatably connected at its lower end with the shaft 4| by the gears 16. The upper end of the shaft 12 is connected by a universal joint 14 to the stubshaft or arbor 16, carrying the first or lowest cutting blade on that side. The arbor is provided at its center with a square enlargement fitting a square hole in the blade so that the two are locked for rotation together. The arbor and blade are journalled between bearing blocks 11 mounted in the cross bar 16, which in turn is adjustably mounted between the end plates 19. On the outside of the end plates are clips 66 secured to the ends of the cross bar through slots 6| by cap screws 62. A set screw 63, passing through stud 64, and rotatably fixed in the end of the clip, provides means for adjustment of the clip and attached cross bar; the cap screws providing securing means in the adjusted position.

Connected by a universal Joint, to the upper end of arbor 16, is the second arbor 66 and to the upper end of this arbor, the third arbor 61. Each of these arbors carries a cutting blade and is joumalled in the same manner as described for the first arbor. This completes the driving assembly of one half of the cutting blades on one side of my machine. A similar group similarly driven is arranged on the other side as shown in Figure 3. .Thus, the cutting blades are driven in two groups from the shaft 4|, each blade being radially adjustable into tangency with the other blades and with the belt, so that the fruit is cleanly cut.

In order to stabilize movement of the feed belt 62 past the cutting edges of the blades, I prefer to support the belt immediately under the blades by an idler roller 66, journalled on a fixed shaft carried by frame elements 61. Fixing the position of the belt at this point permits close adjustment of the blades without injury to the belt.

6. In. a. machine for operating upon half-- I claim:

1. In a machine for operating on half-peaches having an operating means, a conveyor means for delivering half-peaches to the operating means comprising a pair of belts having adjacent reaches positioned one above the other for engaging the upper and lower sides of halfpeaches and which move from parallelism to angularity for orienting the half peaches.

2. In a machine for operating on half-peaches, a conveyor for half-peaches comprising a belt reach twisting from 'a substantially horizontal position through an angle of substantially and a second belt reach disposed adjacent'the first named reach and twisting from a substantially horizontal position thereabove through an angle of substantially for orienting the halfpeaches.

3. A half-peach turning device comprising a pair of belt reaches moving through paths which at one end are spaced to receive and hold the half-peach faced against one of the reaches and at the other end are inclined to provide a V trough on either side of which the half-peach may rest on its fiat side.

4. A turning device for semi-spherical objects comprising an endless belt having one end of its upper reach substantially horizontal and the other end twisted to form one side of a V trough, a second endless belt. having one end of its lower reach spaced above the first named belt and the other end twisted to form the opposite side 'of the V trough, and means for driving said belts.

5. In a machine for operating upon halfpeaches, a conveyor for receiving half-peaches supplied thereon with their fiat sides faced in various directions and having a twisted portion, a delivery conveyor, and a guide having a portion spaced above the receiving conveyor for engaging the upper sides of half-peaches carried thereby and having a twisted portion in troughforming relation to the twisted portion of the receiving conveyor for directing the half-peaches onto the delivery conveyor with the flat sides faced in the same direction.

peaches, a conveyor for receiving half-peaches and having a reach twisting from a substantially horizontal plane through an angle of about 45, and a guide disposed adjacent the belt reach and twisting from a substantially horizontal plane thereabove through an angle of about 135 for delivering the half-peaches with their flat sides faced uniformly in a desired direction.

'7. In a machine for operating upon halfpeaches, a conveyor, and turning means comprising apair of conveyor belts having receiving.

ends vertically spaced to engage the upper and lower faces of half-peaches and having their delivery ends arranged to form the sides of a V shaped trough for directing half-peaches onto the conveyor with their flat sides uniformly faced in one direction.

8. In a machine for operating upon halfpeaches, a conveyor having a receiving end disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and a delivery end twisted relative to the receiving end, a guide having a portion spaced above the conveyor for engaging the upper sides of halfpeaches carried by the. conveyor and having a portion twisted to cooperate with the twisted end of the conveyor to form a trough for orienting the half-peaches.

9. A turning device comprising a pair of con- -ing the half-peach as it is moved to a point of delivery, one of said guides being driven as a conveyor for moving the half-peach to the delivery point.

JOHN ALBERTOLI. 

